| Henry S. Bienen - Northwestern University President |
| Athletic Department | Athletic Director | Academic Services for Athletes |
James J. Phillips became Northwestern's 21st director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation on April 14, 2008, bringing with him a track record of success at the Division I level and a commitment to the values Northwestern always has maintained in collegiate athletics. "The opportunity to lead Northwestern's athletic and recreation programs is both exciting and humbling," Phillips said. "Northwestern is a world-class institution that does everything right in terms of college athletics and what they should stand for. My sincere thanks to President Bienen and Pat Ryan, chair of Northwestern's Board of Trustees, for the opportunity to help lead this distinguished university." Prior to arriving in Evanston, Phillips served as Northern Illinois' athletic director for four years beginning in 2004. During that time, the Huskies had unprecedented athletic success and consistent academic achievements. On July 1, 2006, Phillips was promoted to associate vice president, in addition to his director of athletics title, after already being recognized by his peers in the Mid-American Conference with his selection to serve as chairman of the MAC Athletic Director's Council. He also is a member of the NCAA Women's Basketball committee. Phillips was extraordinarily successful in fund raising and marketing at Northern Illinois. He spearheaded the fund raising and construction of the $14-million Yordon Academic and Athletic Performance Center at NIU, the largest capital project in athletics history at NIU, and led several successful fund-raising campaigns for athletics. In addition, the Huskies opened an indoor practice facility for baseball, softball and men's and women's golf and will begin construction this spring on a new soccer/track and field complex. During Phillips' tenure at NIU, he was instrumental in scheduling high-profile football games against Michigan and Ohio State that resulted in the first national television appearances for NIU. He also negotiated playing the University of Iowa in 2007 at Soldier Field in Chicago as a home game at NIU, a game that sold out in less than a week. In addition, Phillips negotiated a multiple-year agreement for the radio power WSCR-AM (The Score) to carry football, men's basketball and a weekly NIU Live radio show to discuss all Huskie athletic programs. Phillips secured the 2007 NCAA Men's Golf Central Regional, which the Huskies hosted at the new home of NIU golf, Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., rated among the Top 50 golf courses in America according to Golf Digest. Phillips also helped secure a bid for preliminary men's soccer rounds for the 2016 Olympics at Huskie Stadium should Chicago be named the host city. A 1990 graduate of the University of Illinois, Phillips started his career as a manager and student assistant in Illinois' athletic department. He earned a master's degree in education at Arizona State University while serving as a graduate student and as a restricted earnings basketball coach during a period in which the Sun Devils reached the postseason in five-straight years. Phillips also holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from Tennessee, which he completed in the summer of 2007. Phillips served as an assistant athletics director with the Volunteers until 2000. He directed a $12.4 million annual athletics giving program, and was directly responsible for identifying, cultivating and soliciting all major gifts and donations for the Volunteer athletic program. He aided in originating the first-ever capital campaign for athletics at UT that raised over $50 million for endowments, facilities and programs. In addition, he had supervisory duties over athletic programs and a variety of other areas. Phillips then moved to the University of Notre Dame in 2000, where he served as associate director of athletics and senior associate director of athletics for external affairs. During 2002-03, he helped launch the Rockne Heritage Fund, which became the first athletics annual fund that directly benefited student-athlete grant-in-aid scholarships. In addition, he managed the ticket office, various corporate sponsorships, athletic programs and a weekly Irish radio show. At the same time, Phillips played an integral part in the funding of a new $24-million, 96,000-square foot athletics facility. At Notre Dame, Phillips directed all phases of the athletics community relations program and helped develop new institutional and departmental advancement programs. Phillips and his wife, Laura, have four children: Luke, Madeleine, Meredith and John Patrick. He is one of 10 children and his wife is one of seven; both were born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area.
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